It was probably better suited to tackling large prey than the more lightly-built Saurornitholestes.

Losing even one toe or talon will significantly lower the eagle's ability to tackle prey.

Its rudimentary wings had claws shaped like a meat hook for tackling prey, which was then killed with the massive beak.

Therefore large adults rarely tackle small prey.

An example of a snake that can tackle unusual prey is the Queen snake, which almost exclusively hunts newly-moulted crayfish.

Adults and fifth or sixth instar nymphs can tackle much larger prey, such as house flies, small bees and moths.

Its strongly built jaws and teeth likely allow it to tackle relatively large prey.

It may also have hunted in packs to tackle larger prey.

Norman (1985) suggested that the robust skull and jaws might have allowed Ornitholestes to tackle "larger and more active prey" than other small theropods.

They are aggressive predators, with adult females willing to tackle prey as large as themselves.